That was a really good interview. Batista came off looking like a pretty nice and laid back guy who loves the business. I loved this part too:

IGN Sports: Can we expect to see you in face paint and tassels anytime soon?

Batista: That ain't happening. [laughs] You know what, a quote from Ric Flair is: "Somebody who can throw on a pair of boots and some tights and work is always going to have a job in this business." That's what I want to do, that's where I want to go, I just want to become a better performer. No gimmicks, no paint, I just want to throw on my trunks and my boots, go out there and learn my craft.

he obviously wants to work at being a better wrestler and I gotta say, I respect him for that. i'd like to see him evolve and improve his skills into a really great worker. he carries himself pretty well on and off screen, it seems.

I really dig Batista...but one thing I wish he'd touch on one time is his age. Isn't he like 36 or 37? In this business (unless you're Flair or Hogan), that seems to be the age when you slow down. I wonder how much room for improvement his body is going to allow in the next 3-5 years.

Originally posted by FurryHippieI really dig Batista...but one thing I wish he'd touch on one time is his age. Isn't he like 36 or 37? In this business (unless you're Flair or Hogan), that seems to be the age when you slow down. I wonder how much room for improvement his body is going to allow in the next 3-5 years.

NOTE: I have been having to explain this too much lately. When Batista resigned with the WWE this past January, it was revealed that he had been working under a fake age (a common practice in the entertainment field where age can hurt you). When he resigned he admitted that he was actually 39 years old. You do the math. And has openly admitted it to many people. Case closed. You can email the #1 Wrestling Resource in the world Dave Meltzer at Dave@wrestlingobserver.com and ask him. He will confirm this. Thank you.

(edited by Zeruel on 22.7.05 1517)

"You want to tempt the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing?" --Toby, West Wing

39?! Woah, I never would have guessed. I figured he was only a few years older than orton and Brock. He looks phenominal for any age, let alone nearly 40. Wow.

Hey wait a minute, how could he have watched Hogan and HBK "as a kid" if he's nearly as old as HBK and only like what, 10 or 15 years younger hogan? I mean, Wasn't hogan already in his late 30s/early 40s during his heyday? That would put batista in his late teens or 20s at the time. Hmm perhaps I'm nitpicking.

Since Batista got into wrestling much later than most guys do, however, his body has taken a lot less wear and tear than most 40-year-old grapplers have at this point. He probably still has 2-3 good years left in him, which should be about the shelf life of his character anyway.

"You can look the other way once, and it's no big deal, except it makes it easier for you to compromise the next time, and pretty soon that's all your doing; compromising, because that's the way you think things are done. You know those guys I busted? You think they were the bad guys? Because they weren't, they weren't bad guys, they were just like you and me. Except they compromised... Once." -- Jack Bauer

I remember they did a feature on him in Raw magazine last year just about his interest in lunch boxes. He says that he get loads on the road. Great read, I might look for it again cause I forgot most of it.

Originally posted by SkarecrowHey wait a minute, how could he have watched Hogan and HBK "as a kid" if he's nearly as old as HBK and only like what, 10 or 15 years younger hogan? I mean, Wasn't hogan already in his late 30s/early 40s during his heyday? That would put batista in his late teens or 20s at the time. Hmm perhaps I'm nitpicking.

Hogan was not 40 during his heyday. He was born in 1953. His heyday, I'm assuming you mean the first big run of Hulkamania, started in his late twenties, so by Wrestlemania I he would have been 31. He left Vince for the first time just before he turned 40.

Batista's interview was fine. Couple interesting things I noticed. For one, Flair's quote was apparently wrong. As far as the Bradshaw comments, I wouldn't read too much into those. He was pretty much in-character, so that was about as connected to reality as "kick the devil's ass". Not that I figure Bradshaw would try anything on Batista of all people.

I like Batista, he's got a good personality and he seems to be competent in the ring. But does anyone think he's not...strong enough? I'm not joking. He's huge, obviously, but I don't think he's particularly powerful for someone that size, probably because he trains to be big instead of training to be strong. For example Cena giving Big Show the F-U at WM XX was far more impressive to me than any feat of strength I've ever seen from Batista. He hasn't ever powerbombed anyone that weighed more than him, so I don't see why I should be impressed he can lift less than his own bodyweight. That time he faced Big Vis, he didn't even lift him, he just did that spinebuster which requires no actual stength (since Vis was already in there air and on his way down when Dave "caught" him). I'm not saying this to complain for the sake of complaining, I just think that part of the presentation for a Batista type of character is power, and compared to guys of similar size, especially Brock, I don't know how much power is actually there.

I thought when he Batista-bombed Kane it was pretty impressive. But in his interviews he is always very humble and not at all cocky, just in his character. Cena and Batista are great as main-eventers for at least one reason and thats because they carry themselves very well outside the ring and are a great influence and role models for kids.